Kristina Trinh 8/14/22 Kristina Trinh 8/14/22

Vivian's Story of Skin Healing

Our skin tells a story about where we've been. Our skin also tells the world about our health, our vitality, and how we see ourselves.

Skin problems are never just "skin deep" - they sometimes require a lot of patience and persistence to be fixed.

But when you finally get to the root of the problem, and you wake up one morning to see glowing, healthy skin shining back at you in the mirror… There's no better feeling than this.

Our skin tells a story about where we've been. Our skin also tells the world about our health, our vitality, and how we see ourselves.

Skin problems are never just "skin deep" - they sometimes require a lot of patience and persistence to be fixed.

But when you finally get to the root of the problem, and you wake up one morning to see glowing, healthy skin shining back at you in the mirror… There's no better feeling than this.

Today, I want to share a story about one of my favorite clients with you😍

When I met Vivian in 2017, she was suffering from severe cystic acne, and her confidence in her appearance was very low.

“I’ve struggled with really bad acne all my life. I used to get those big painful stubborn ones and it was so frustrating when new ones would appear, often on top of the old ones that hadn't even healed yet.”

Vivian had tried truly everything to heal her skin, and she was becoming desperate and depressed. She didn’t like to look at herself in the mirror, and strangers would offer advice for her skin that just made her feel worse.

“I've tried everything from dermatologist and prescriptions to OTC products. My face was very bumpy, red and flaky. My acne situation was probably on the slightly more severe side than the average person and I even considered Accutane as a last resort, but I was scared of the side effects.”

Vivian reached out to Beauty Journey after seeing reviews from people who'd had similar acne struggles and had great results with our treatments.

“I found Beauty Journey 5 years ago after reading all the positive reviews and success stories, especially the ones with severe acne like myself.”

I started Vivian off with Beauty Journey’s Signature Treatment, which narrows in on skin healing by targeting dysfunctions under the surface layer of the skin. Our Signature Treatment includes a deep cleanse, exfoliation, extractions (as needed), a nourishing mask, and a Facial Infusion. During a Facial Infusion, the skin cells of your face receive a huge dose of our incredibly effective professional products. In combination with other modalities like Lightwave LED Therapy, we encourage your facial skin to stimulate new cell growth, maintain a healthy water balance and repair vital skin structures.

"Kristina had put together a treatment plan that catered specifically to my skin goals. I was coming in every month for acne extraction followed by LED light therapy and a lot of different products being massaged into the skin. My skin was in such bad shape. I could tell how hard she worked to extract all the clogged pores at each visit. The purging process took 6 months.”

As Vivian’s skin began to heal, I saw how dedicated she was to the process. Through medications, extractions, and consistent treatments at home and with The 7- in -1 LED Mask, Vivian started to notice a really positive change in the health of her skin.

“Now that I'm acne free and my hyperpigmentation has all cleared up, I see Kristina only a few times a year for maintenance while still consistently using her recommended products at home. I love that she knew what to introduce and switch out in my homecare routine to cater specifically to what my skin needed.”

“If I can now enjoy clear skin thanks to Beauty Journey Studio, I think many others can too. Trust Kristina; she knows what she's doing. And have a lot of patience because good things take time.”

For a complete skin consultation, make an appointment with one of Beauty Journey’s expert estheticians by schedule online appointment or contact beautyjourney@gmail.com if you need further information.

PERMISSION TO REPRINT: You may use any items from this article in your print, blog, magazine or electronic newsletter. But in order to do so, you must include the following paragraph, including a link to www.thebeautyjourney.com

"Information is courtesy of www.thebeautyjourney.com, a website with skin care tips, products, treatments and advice from skin care expert and licensed esthetician, Kristina Trinh."

Kristina Trinh 4/16/22 Kristina Trinh 4/16/22

A Healthy Skin Starts with a Healthy Diet. Here's How Your Diet Affects Your Skin

Waking up to a breakout is never pleasant, and yet, it can happen even to the rest of us. But knowing what causes breakouts can significantly reduce the chances of experiencing one.

There are many reasons behind an acne breakout. Maybe you swapped a product for a new one, didn’t change your face towels or pillowcases regularly or didn’t drink enough water. All of these are viable reasons that can trigger breakouts. But another cause for breakouts is food.

Waking up to a breakout is never pleasant, and yet, it can happen even to the rest of us. But knowing what causes breakouts can significantly reduce the chances of experiencing one.

So, what exactly causes our skin to act up?

Yes, diets play an important role in how the skin responds. Dairy, sugar, and gluten are some of the things that need to be minimized or removed from the diet. But overall, the main contributing factors to acne are fast cells turnover, fast oil flows, and abnormal cell division, stress, hormonal issues, and medication.

We immediately tend to think that junk food is the root of all problems, and while there is a correlation between acne and the consumption of fatty or sugary products, causation can be difficult to prove.

But, according to a few studies, there are certain foods that are more likely to cause a bad case of acne, and today, we are going to see exactly how your diet affects your skin.

Can Your Diet Actually Affect Your Skin?

Some of us have heard that food plays a big role in having acne-free skin, while others have heard the opposite. But what exactly is the truth?

The skin is the largest organ in our body, and just like any organ, it is influenced by the nutrients we consume. These nutrients are provided by the food we eat. Once food has entered the digestive system, it is broken down into glucose, vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals.

All these nutrients are essential to our health, so if your diet is lacking, then your body, and ultimately your skin, will take the hit.

But acne is not the only skin condition influenced by your diet. Food can also impact blemishes, wrinkles, and moisture levels in your skin.

What Foods Should You Avoid?

A recent study not only solidifies the correlation between our dietary choices and the apparition of acne but may also give us clues about the types of foods we should stay away from.

The study was performed on 24,452 participants, all of which were categorized in one of three acne-related categories:

Never had acne
Had acne in the past
Currently has acne

The conclusion of this study is that certain categories of food products appear to be associated with current cases of acne. Here are some of those products:

Dairy

Dairy has been linked to acne in several studies, but the precise reason why it causes breakouts is still not fully clear. A hypothesis blames the high carbohydrate content, which increases the levels of blood sugar, which in turn leads to a spike in insulin. This spike leads to higher oil production.

If you believe that dairy products are causing your acne, try replacing animal milk with other alternatives on the market, like soy milk or almond milk. Also, make sure that you maintain a proper intake of calcium by eating soy, spinach, and other foods high in calcium.

Sugar

Not only is sugar bad for acne, but it also speeds up the aging process of your skin. Once in your body, the sugars bind to the elastic proteins and collagen in your skin, causing them to stiffen. This process is called glycation and it makes your skin less elastic, making it prone to sagging and wrinkles.

There are a lot of products that contain refined sugars, so the best way to avoid sugar is to look for foods with whole-grain carbohydrates.

Salty Foods

Salty foods, such as French fries and chips, are without a doubt delicious, but they are not that great for your skin. High intakes of salt facilitate water retention, which can make you feel and look bloated.

Also, very high quantities of iodized salt increase the likelihood of having breakouts, which is why you should always check the labels of the food you are purchasing.

Some other foods that should be consumed in reduced quantities are carbohydrates, red meat, and foods rich in Omega-6 fats.

Foods That You Should Eat

It comes as no surprise that the first foods on this list are fruits and vegetables. For example, yellow, red, and green (leafy) vegetables are a fantastic source of vitamin A, which is an important component of the skin cell renewal process.

For acne, skin cells turn over too fast vitamin A, which will regulate the skin cell renewal process. For aging skin, skin cells turn over too slow with topical vitamin A and the food you eat will help the skin cell renewal process.

Vegetables rich in vitamin C (broccoli, citrus fruits, potatoes, peppers, etc...) are essential in the production of collagen. Vitamin C also works as an antioxidant that has an active role in protecting your skin from the effects of UV rays. Also, vitamin C prevents post inflammation, pigmentation, and scars.

Besides fruit and vegetables, you should also include fish in your diet, as it is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which have an anti-inflammatory role. These fatty acids are fantastic for people who have drier skin or have flaky skin.

Two other great additions are nuts and seeds, both of which are great sources of Vitamin E. This vitamin promotes the healing of skin cells and has a role in protecting the cells’ membrane. They also are full of minerals like zinc and selenium.

Although you should be careful with what you eat, you should also pay attention to your skincare products and skincare routine.

If you’re looking for quality products that will improve your skin, then we have the thing for you. You can visit our online shopping and see which products fit your skin condition.

And if you don’t know what to choose or how to deal with your skin condition, then you can always schedule an initial consultation. They will be more than happy to teach you all you need to know about your skin.